The winner of the 2024 Community Languages Teacher Medal is Gosia (Malgorzata) Vella.
This award recognises the achievements of an outstanding and innovative teacher who instils knowledge and a lifelong love of language and culture in students.
Gosia migrated to Australia from Poland in 1989. After her arrival, she immediately expanded her professional capacity by acquiring new skills, which enabled her to begin a successful career as an EALD and language teacher in the public and private sectors.
Gosia is an outstanding educator and teacher. She is held in the highest regard by the education community for her work ethic and her commitment to the values of public education.
Gosia works closely with the Polish community to ensure a strong relationship where students are well supported and committed to learning their heritage language.
Gosia is a co-founder of The Polish School of Sydney (TPSS), the largest Polish language school in Australia. She is an organiser of workshops and conferences for Polish teachers such as Polish Language Teachers’ Conferences in NSW, where she mentors Polish language teachers to develop and strengthen their teaching practice through a collaborative approach.
Gosia is a co-founder, and currently Vice President of The Polish Teachers Association in Australia.
Since 1998, she has been working as a Polish language teacher at the Secondary College of Languages (SCL) operated by the NSW Department of Education.
Gosia has a gift for being able to identify exactly what each learner brings to the classroom. Her teaching approach involves nurturing students’ unique strengths to help them overcome challenges and develop a positive attitude to language learning and a passion to become lifelong learners.
Gosia began as an EALD/Literacy Teacher supporting students at Fairfield High School’s Intensive English Centre.
Then, after several years teaching at the Alexandria Intensive English Centre, in the early 90s, Gosia joined Randwick Boys High School in 1994.
Since 1997, Gosia has taught at Christian Brothers’ High School in Lewisham, and the Secondary College of Languages (previously known as Saturday School of Community Languages). It was here she excelled in providing special assistance to students from non- English-speaking backgrounds.
As a volunteer, Gosia has been Curriculum Coordinator at The Polish School of Sydney (TPSS) since 2004, where she has invested countless hours establishing a full curriculum and teaching program. Under her passionate leadership, the TPSS developed its own Polish Language Program – a unique curriculum and a set of 28 quality textbooks.
In 2021, the Federal Government officially recognised the Polish Language Program developed under Gosia’s guidance. Currently the Program is implemented in the majority of Polish language schools throughout Australia.
In 2004, due to Gosia’s unwavering dedication, the Polish language was introduced at the Saturday School of Community Languages in Randwick to ensure the continuation of Polish education at the secondary level for graduates of TPSS, and other young people of Polish origin living in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs.
For her outstanding and tireless contribution in serving the Polish community, in 2017 Gosia was awarded with Poland’s prestigious Medal of the National Education Commission (Minister of Education).
Gosia is firmly committed to furthering the development of our multicultural and multilingual society in NSW. Throughout her career, she has been able to build the capacity of Polish teachers, as well as improve teaching practices and resources to the great benefit of our students in NSW and beyond.
